B.C. to invest $17 million on science, Indigenous knowledge to restore Pacific salmon
The British Columbia government is adding $17.25 million for ongoing efforts to save declining populations of wild Pacific salmon.
The Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship says the bulk of the money will be shared equally between the First Nations Fisheries Council and the Pacific Salmon Foundation as the organizations work to conserve and restore the fish.
It says in a statement that “science, Indigenous knowledge and data will be used to actively advance habitat restoration and climate adaptation.”
The latest funding is on top of nearly $286 million in joint federal-provincial money earmarked for the B.C. Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund over seven years.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada says many Pacific salmon stocks are declining to “historic lows” due to the impacts of climate change, habitat loss and other threats.
Jordan Point, executive director of the First Nations Fisheries Council, says his organization and the Pacific Salmon Foundation have a “proven record of tangible results” in salmon stewardship and the funding is a step forward for their efforts.
The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs issued a statement Thursday saying wild salmon are in “an increasingly desperate state” and “drastic action” is needed to save the fish.
“First Nations have sounded the alarm on the state of wild salmon for decades and long identified the implications of government actions, allowing for ever more degradation of salmon habitat and overfishing by industry,” union president and Grand Chief Stewart Phillip says in the statement.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.
What new auto insurance reforms will mean for Ontarians, if they get introduced
Ontario has among the highest rates for auto insurance premiums in Canada -- just below Alberta and Nova Scotia -- however, the introduction of an insurance reform in the provincial budget could soon lower prices.